Alone in Clignancourt Market

I know title doesn’t match at all with the photo… but I’m posting this ‘cas that day was a great day and I didn’t plan it.

First I woke up with a plan: “Going with a friend to Clinangcourt Market” (I go everytime I have a chance). For people who does not know what it is, I’m talking about a mine of treasures!!! A huge flea market!!! So, back to my story… I had a plan. That morning I called her and she didn’t feel like going so I was nice and I told her not to worry about it… I was hopeful… I knew I was going to find somebody else to go with. Basically because going alone to a dangerous flea market wasn’t in my plans. I called and messeged people but nobody was available… BIG SH*** After that “lose of control” moment I decided to go by myself… Yes alone. My founds: a strips french navy tshirt and a fake Monet for 5€. I was very proud of this last found ‘cas only golden wood frames cost 15€ in flea markets. After many hours in the market I could contact some friends who told me that going to Rosa Bonheur (in Buttes Chaumont park) was a good sunday plan. I’d never heard of it. Maybe because I’m not gay. So I went there with my fake Monet and we had the time of our lives!!! We ate a great spanish ham for 6€, we drunk funny beers for 5.50€ (6€ later, don’t ask me when… I simply don’t remember), and we danced Ace of Base and Spice Girls like FOLLES!!!

That’s what I call a good Parisian deal!!!

My recommendations:

1. If you plan to go to Clinangcourt Market, try to go as confy as you can. Tennis shoes are a must, as much as a very discreet purse (big enough to carry money and phone). And the most important: PRACTICE YOUR BADASS FACE in front of a mirror before to leave your house. That’s the face you’re going to need when people trying to sell you stolen phones start trying to steal yours under the bridge. Be very careful

2. If you plan to go to Rosa Bonheur on sundays grab a gay mate. On saturdays you can be more flexible with the gay requirement 😉

Living in Paris is €xp€n$iv€

Hello everybody!!! On this post I would like to talk about the hardest thing when you live in Paris: find a home sweet home!

The other day I was waiting for a friend to join me in St Michel, thanks God you have something to look at when you are waiting at that metro station: Gibert Jaune book store!!! Most of the books are in french but you can find really good stuff if you are a crafty maniac like me 😉 I found sewing and brodery books I could not buy at that moment because I didn’t want to walk all over the city with 10kilos in my hand bag, even that I could find a lovely (and useful) guide book at the offers section (cover picture). I payed 3€ for it but it’s full of ideas for independent girls who are planning to stay still 🙂

It’s a 2011 edition, that’s the reason of the price.

Personally I haven’t had the “searching parisian flat experience”, I have the luck of paying very little for my studio which has a decent space but it is really far away from Paris… Another con of my studio is that it’s already furnished… Which means I don’t feel it mine yet… Even that when I was reading this little guide I started to dream like a little girl…

I don’t have many friends in Paris, but people I know use to say: “in Paris is easier to find a job than to find where to live”. So if you are planning to come here you better be ready for anything (people renting kitchens as a room or rooms with no shower, as I already said on a previous post) or simply pay an agency, which are quite expensive (mostly 10% of a year rent amount for not furnished flats or a month of rent for a furnished one). 20m2 Studios in Paris cost 800€ aprox. Depending on the area. An aprox total amount when moving in Paris is 3200€.

Other than that Paris is a great city!!! Once you find where to stock your treasures when shopping books, deco stuff, antiques, etc etc etc trust me those are many future posts!!!

Moral of the present post: Find a home in Paris is hard but it worths every of the many €€€ you will expend 😉 no matter what, don’t give up!!! This guide says it’s possible!!!

Keep dreaming 🙂

It’s been a while I know…

but I’ve been doing many things this last year!!! I finished my first patchwork quilt (I really can’t wait to start a new project), I started to watch Game of Thrones and Vikings, I read many books, I discovered many shops, teas, flavours… I made some new friends and I lost some others but it’s alright… life can’t be pink all the time, even if you’re living at Piaf’s “belle ville”… La vie n’est pas rose…

I remember first time I visited Paris in 2006 I said “I would never live in Paris” specially after seeing my friend’s tiny room (no shower included)… She just said “life in Paris is very expensive”… “and weather is shitty” I thought. So what two great reasons to NEVER live in it.

This is me “à l’époque” (2006)

Then in 2013 I said “I go to Paris to learn french”… only. Now in 2014 I think I’m losing my english!!!

At the beginning I used to hate Paris (specially its weather) and little by little I learnt to like it, so maybe by sharing some stuff I do here I’ll help you to love it too… Who knows??? (I promise I used to be a big hater).

I actually have a 1000 things to write and I don’t even know where to start. I just hope my experience (now in the City of Light) will help you to choose better when coming for visit or longer…

like I say now: NEVER SAY NEVER!!!

How to survive in Paris…

Hey! How are you guys? I’m feeling a lot better now, thanx for asking… (lol).

Well this weekend It’s been my first month here, and I’ve done many things and met many people.

At this point I can probably start giving  you some tips, my friends and I were think¡ng about, to survive in Paris (one of the most expensive cities in Europe) with very little money… not very much to be honest…

All of them have been absolutely tested…

Tip Number 1: Go to a Museum and pretend you’re a European student under 26 years old

This worked once to us, some of us were older than 26, or not students or not Europeans… and we got there. The trick: If you’re a group of girls always try to get a guy when buying the tickets. Smile and Voilá. Lol

Note! It’s not 100% guaranteed. A friend tried it another day and It didn’t work. That ‘cas they couldn’t avoid a girl when buying tickets 😦

Tip Number 2: Grocery a lot

Make sure you get loaded for starving moments… If it gets really cold, you can always get into a coffee shop, order something warm that matches with biscuits you got previously, and grab your handbag “under the table” (literally)… We’ve done it. Hilarious. Keep your handbag always loaded…

Tip Number 3: Recycling Shopping

Paris is well-known for its expensive boutiques… Well I would say, there’s another option to follow the trends: Second Hand Stores!!! Some are quite expensive, but some others are very interesting… like KILO SHOP (  http://kilo-shop.fr/ ) or Free P Star (Next to Kilo Shop)

Or other shops you can find walking through Rue Vieille du Temple…

Tip Number 4; Look for Gastronomy Opennings

Good quality Food almost for free… I say almost ‘cas we had to pay our Spritzes (5€) but It’s absolutely worthy, ‘cas free mozzarella chesse is always tremendous!!!

Anyway, This is all for now… hopefully I can give you more tips soon…

Enjoy of the Sun if you have it. Tell him I say hello, It would be nice to meet someday… Geessh!!!

Sitges Carnival

Hi everyone, these are some pics my friends and I took on Sitges carnival. We were Iberia flight attendants for one night…

I was Miss Britney Bitch

Our mates were Ren (As Bruno Mars. check the crafty Grammy Award we made) and Diana (As his Blond girlfriend)…

After some cool floats…

We met the boys…

If you couldn’t make it this year, this is my advice: DON’T MISS IT NEXT YEAR, SITGES CARNIVAL IS A GREAT FUN!!!

Last pic of the night…

Garcia-Alix Self-portrait exhibition in Palau de la Virreina

Last week I found myself with some extra time, walking Ramblas… my bro suggested to visit Garcia-Alix exhibition…

This black and white exhibition will be in Palau de la Virreina til May 5th.

Don’t miss the chance to travel inside an artist mindset: a Life lesson… a very honest exhibition.

 

Cebiche in Barcelona

Hello everybody!!! First you gotta know I’m a big cebiche fan, second… I live in Barcelona. I’ve watched a thousand videos on youtube about how to make the perfect cebiche, and they all say fish must be fresh, well… I made this with frozen fish and It was really good… so this post is for all my cebiche lovers!!! God I could eat this everyday!!!

First thing to do to make the perfect cebiche in Barcelona… Go to La Boqueria

First cut fish in squares, leave them with salt and pepper.

Then squeeze all limes and mix the juice with garlic, salt, pepper, 1 aji limo (cut and clean without veins) and 2 or 3 squares of fish. Please use a blender!!!

Boil yuccas, sweet potatoes and cornbos.

Cut the onion and the other aji limo (little pieces).

15 minutes before to serve, mix the onion with the fish and shower with the previous juice.

Cut some cilantro and mix it with our beautiful cebiche ;P

I’m not an expert, just a lover… but my friends liked it

This post is also dedicated to one of my most loved friends in Barcelona. He’s moving to Lima next week, so very good luck dear Chapa!!! Hope to see you very soon!!!

Loved Trader Joes Colours

… And last but not least, ending my quite late review of Chicago, we went to Trader Joes grocery (many times ‘cas it was close to the hotel). I simply loved that market. I’m actually posting about it ‘cas I found those colours inspiring and I wanted to share some of it with you (pics are not awasome but I trully recommend you to go if you’re visiting Chicago 🙂

Everything should have a smiley face on it, don’t you think?

Inside the Art Institute of Chicago walls

Hi everyone. Last post was about my last trip to Chicago, which was amazing!!! I just wanted to dedicate a special post to one of my very fave stops during that week. That was the Art Institute of Chicago. I absolutely recommend you to visit this museum. I’d been to many, and this is one of the best around the World.

Of course the museum Master Piece is American Gothic by Grant Wood. I loved the message and loved the frame lol

Apart of the amazing painting collection they have, there’s a beautiful environment to enjoy over there…Of course this visit was in November, so you’ll may need to update yourself at the website to plan your visit. Right here I just can show you what I’d got to see…

20th Century furniture pieces & Deco

And a Textile and Patchwork exhibition of the 18th & 19th Century

Beautiful Quilts

 

Hope you get as much inspiration with this post as I did with my visit. I really really hope to go back 🙂

My Blog is on fire

Last week I received some info from WordPress.com. They just wanted to let me know my blog is ON FIRE!!!

 This blog was visited by 3.900 people during 2010, and this is The Macchiato’s Post Top 5:

Number 1: Todo o Nada by Mario Testino

My visit to Thyssen Museum in Madrid for this special exposition was the most visited post in 2010… I’m planning to repeat a post on my new blog (macchiatolovesfashion) with the whole exposition then… can’t wait!!! (below). At the moment this is the link to visit Macchiato’s number one post:

 https://macchiatoincoventgarden.wordpress.com/2010/10/17/todo-o-nada-by-mario-testino/

and the new post with the whole collection:

 http://macchiatolovesfashion.wordpress.com/2011/01/11/todo-o-nada-by-mario-testino/

Number 2: Juliette’s 27th bday

One of the hottest nights I had in 2010 was the second most visited post. Julio’s Bday “pica-pica” pst just showed me (once again) that he has so many friends 😉

 https://macchiatoincoventgarden.wordpress.com/2010/09/05/juliettes-27th-bday/

Number 3: Go Spain Go!!!

2010 won’t be forgotten by any spanish at all… first ‘cas Waka Waka and second ‘cas Spain got the last Soccer World Cup in Southafrica… Probably that’s why my post before the final match was one of the most visited

https://macchiatoincoventgarden.wordpress.com/2010/07/08/go-spain-go/

Number 4: Gute Nacht!!!

The latest visit to Barcelona from one of my sweetheart in the wolrd (Julia) was the forth most visited post. I love you!!!!!

 https://macchiatoincoventgarden.wordpress.com/2010/08/03/gute-nacht/

Number 5: New York by Manel Doblas

This was just one of the posts I enjoyed the most doing… It was also an opportunity to make a facebook friendship with the artist and know his latest work  

https://macchiatoincoventgarden.wordpress.com/2010/01/23/new-york-by-manel-doblas/

This is just a little piece of Macchiato in Covent Garden… just don’t quit visiting this 2011. Best Wishes for you all!!!